Cigarette extinguisher



Jan. 26, 1937. E. M. TIERNEY 2,068,999

CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Filed Dec. 5, 1935 I z r z I r z z I r a z z 1 z z I I I 5 I IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIIIIII/ Edward/ f Tierngy I INVENTOR ATTORNEY patented Jan. 26, 1 937 UITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to cigarette extinguishers, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will quicldy extinguish a cigarette by smothering and which may be conveniently actuated to eject the extinguished cigarette therefrom into a container or like device whereby fire hazards will be reduced to a minimum and eliminate the disagreeable odors of burning cigarette butts.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a top plan view, partly in section, showing a cigarette extinguisher mounted to a receptacle and constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional View illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating a modified form of my invention.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral l indicates an ash tray which may be in the form of a drawer mounted to slide into and out of a case or support 2. The drawer portion is equipped with a finger piece 3 and the topthereof is partially closed and has formed therein a cigarette passage 4 which communicates with the chamber 5 of the drawer portion through one side thereof.

oppositely arranged resilient smothering elements 6 extend into the passage 4 and are mounted, as shown at 1, and have their free ends curved in the direction of each other, as shown at 8, for the purpose of closing the communication between the chamber 5 and the chamber 4. A burning cigarette passing downwardly into the passage 4 and between the elements 8 will quickly become extinguished by smothering.

Slidably mounted between the members 6 is a plunger 8' having a ooncaved face 9 cooperating with the curved ends 8 of the members 6 in defining a closure for the burning end of the cigarette. The plunger 8 has a stem I0 secured thereto slidable through the finger piece 3 and is equipped at its outer end with a finger piece I I. A coil spring I2 is mounted on the stem and acts on the stem to retract the plunger 8' so that the latter cooperates with the curved ends of the members 6 in forming means to receive the burning end of the cigarette for smothering thereof. After the smothering of the cigarette the finger piece I! is moved in the direction of the finger piece 3, causing the plunger 8 to slide and force apart the curved ends 8 of the members 6 and the ejection of the cigarette butt into the chamber 5 of the ash receptacle.

Referring to my modified form of my invention the stem I0 is omitted from the plunger and the latter is equipped with a cam groove I3 receiving a slidable head I 4 secured to a stem Hi. The latter is spring pressed by a spring l6 and has a finger piece H. A sliding movement of the finger piece 41 in one direction will cause the plunger to be slid to eject the cigarette after a the extinguishing of the latter and the spring It returns the plunger, stem and finger piece to normal position.

The type of device shown in Figures 1 to 3 may be readily adapted to an instrument board of a motor vehicle, while the form of my invention shown in Figures 4 and 5 is readily adaptable to an arm rest or similar device of a motor vehicle.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In combination with an ash receptacle having a chamber and a passage communicative therewith, resilient members extending into said passage, a slidable plunger cooperating with said members in defining a space within the passage 3 to receive the burning end of a cigarette for the extinguishing of said cigarette by smothering, a stem secured to the plunger, a finger piece secured to the stem, and spring means acting on the stem to position the plunger to cooperate with said members in defining said cigarette smothering space.

2. In combination with an ash receptacle having a chamber and a. passage communicative therewith, resilient members extending into said passage, a slidable plunger cooperating with said members in forming a cigarette smothering space and having a cam groove, a head slidable in said groove, a plunger connected to said head and slidably supported by the ash receptacle, a finger piece secured to said stem, and a spring interposed between the finger piece and the ash receptacle.

EDWARD M. TIERNEY. 

